Disappearing Act
by Ghost Mana
Summary: Avery Ulric: Lori says hes a demon; Tommy just wants to keep the peace; Merton is acting funny; The whole school thinks Merton and Avery are dating; what do you think? *WARNING: STRAIT RELATIONSHIPS... yeh, slash too* rating pending
1. Avery Ulric: Nowhere, USA

Disappearing Act  
Thursday. 1:33pm  
  
The boy who had entered Ms. Jenkins' third period English class entered soundlessly. Without greeting the teacher or making notice to any of the other students, he shuffled to the closest seat and sat down. His bookbag lightly hit the ground and his eyes seemed glued to his desk.  
  
When the teacher finally noticed him, class was almost over. She seemed to sit up a little straighter as she spoke.  
  
"You there," Ms. Jenkins called at him, "In the black."  
  
"Who," cawed a teen from the back, "Dingle-Freak or the new freak!?"  
  
Merton groaned inwardly, wishing Tommy were in the class with him.  
  
When the cat-calls and snickers died down, Ms. Jenkins continued. "No, not Dingle." She ran her eyes down her ledger then looked back towards the new student. "Avery Ulric," she said.  
  
The boy continued his infatuation with the desk, seemingly oblivious to everything around him.  
  
Which just got Ms. Jenkins more pissed.  
  
"Avery Ulric," she said louder. Still no reply. "Mister Avery Ulric!" she screeched. Most students would send their hands flying to their ears, but Avery just looked up at her. His deep chocolate eyes peered up, docilic.  
  
"Ma'am?"  
  
"Stand up and tell the class about yourself," she ordered, "Where are you from?"  
  
"Ma'am?" he repeated.  
  
"Are you deaf, Mr. Ulric?" she said hotly, "Stand. Up. And. Speak."  
  
He shook his head quickly.  
  
"Where are you from?"  
  
"I'm sorry, Mister Ulric, I didn't hear you," Jenkins snapped, "Where are you from?"  
  
"I am from nowhere," he replied bitterly, "Nowhere. I don't exist."  
  
"Well, Mr. Avery Ulric from Nowhere, I'll see you afterschool and maybe then we can discuss where exactly 'nowhere' is."  
3:04pm  
"I'm telling you Tommy," Lori said, "This boy isn't normal! He has to be a demon or something... Just last class, I stopped by my locker and he appeared out of nowhere! I just turned around and he was standing next to an open locker right next to Merton's! The boy is weird. I think we should keep an eye on him..."  
  
Merton flung one arm around Lori and the other around Tommy as he entered the conversation.  
  
"Who's a demon?" he asked lightly.  
  
"Did you see that new guy?" Lori muttered, shrugging out of Merton's arm and punching him, "Ulric something..."  
  
"Avery Ulric," Merton said, rubbing the now-sore spot and scowling at his assailant, "That's gonna leave a bruise y'know! Avery's in my English class. I dunno, he seems pretty harmless to me. Really quiet." Merton grinned, "He reminds me of me before I met Tommyboy here."  
  
"Solemn, weird, freakish," Lori muttered, counting the adjectives off on her fingers, "weird, unpopular, weird..." She paused, to grin. "Wait a second, you're still all of those." She shrugged smugly.  
  
"Maybe," Tommy muttered. His face lit up, "Let's worry about demons later. Anybody hungry? I think I'll go for a stop over at the Hungry Bucket..."  
  
"Naw," Merton said, "I think I'm just going to head home. Books to read and all, y'know?"  
  
"Uhh, right. Lori?"  
  
"Sure thing."  
  
"Do you guys want a ride?" Merton asked, dangling the keys to the hearse in front of his nose.  
  
"No thanks man," Tommy said, "It's nice out, I think I'll walk." 


	2. Avery Ulric: Off The Radar

3:45pm  
As he walked toward the school parking lot, Merton noticed somebody sitting on the curb. On closer inspection, he recognized the person as Lori's would-be demon Avery Ulric.  
  
"Hi," Merton said quietly.  
  
Avery looked up at Merton and then back at his shoelaces, his thick black hair swishing out of place.  
  
As Merton closed in on the hearse, the wind picked up and the sun covered with clouds. Merton shivered and glanced back down at the other teen.  
  
"Where you going?" Merton asked.  
  
"Home," Avery said cryptically, never looking up.  
  
"Who are waiting for?" Merton asked.  
  
"My mother," he said, "She's picking me up. She always picks me up after school."  
  
"What time was she supposed to get here?"  
  
"Three O'clock."  
  
Merton blinked, "It's almost four."  
  
"So?"  
  
"Do you want a ride?"  
  
Avery looked up, shocked, "A-a ride?"  
  
"Sure, hop in."  
  
"Are you sure?"  
  
Merton nodded and then Avery did something unexpected.  
  
He hugged Merton.  
  
Pulling away instantly, Avery's face was a stark white. "I-I'm sorry... I-I-I.... I don't know what I was thinking! I'm sorry..."  
  
"Shhh," Merton mumbled, "It's alright. Hop in, tell me where you live."  
  
Avery's eyes widdened and he ran over and threw himself into the passanger seat as if afraid Merton would change his mind any second.  
  
Avery's house, a modest apartment building on Beddingfeild Avenue, was one street over from Merton's house. A quiet street.  
  
"Do you want to come up?" Avery asked timidly, even fearfully.  
  
Merton suddenly felt exactly like a guy at the end of a first date.  
  
"Ahh jeez," Merton muttered, "I have some things to do. Raincheck?"  
  
"Okay!" Avery jumped out of the car, "Bye Dingle!"  
  
"It's Merton!" Merton called from the hearse.  
8:53pm  
Merton, Lori and Tommy sat around a table at The Factory that night sipping on a rootbeer float each.  
  
"Lori," Merton said, "You're crazy. Avery is not a demon. No way, no how."  
  
"Sorry Lor," Tommy said with a small nodd, "I'm going to have to go with Merton on this one. The kid is strange, no doubt, but I don't think he has demon quality."  
  
"He's off the radar Lori," Merton said, pointing a finger to the side of his head, "I just don't feel it."  
  
"Fine," Lori snapped, "I'll do it on my own!"  
  
Lori quickly moved to stand, a pissed-off expression on her face, as Merton spoke once more.  
  
"You'll be at the lair Friday Night for the movie marathon though, won't you?!"  
  
In response, Lori dumped her leftover float onto Merton's head before storming out of The Factory.  
  
"Guess that's a no," Tommy stated, handing the annoyed Merton a napkin. "She'll go. you know she will."  
  
Merton thought for a second, licking the spilled rootbeer float off of his lips, "Hey Tommy. mind if I make it a party of four?"  
  
"Go ahead man," Tommy replied, "Your lair."  
  
"You don't mind?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Lori might though..."  
  
Tommy shrugged, "She can deal. Not like it's Avery or anything."  
  
"Uhhh..."  
Friday. 2:45pm  
"Your project," History teacher Mr. Lewis started. He paused, awaiting the groans to die down before he continued, "is to pick your favorite historical event and present a bristol board presentation on it. Pick your partner wisely."  
  
Merton started to turn around to face Tommy when he felt a tug on his sleeve. Merton turned and saw the hand connected to an arm which, if followed, evidently lead up to the face of Avery Ulric.  
  
"Do you... uh... do you..." Avery stammered.  
  
"Sure I'll be your partner."  
  
"Really!?"  
  
Merton nodded.  
  
"Oooo," called a voice from the back of the room, "Dingle's got a boyfriend!"  
  
Merton and Avery both blushed while Tommy looked confused as he was dragged by the arm towards the back of the room by a random blond.  
  
"So what did you want to do it on?" Merton asked, "Personally..."  
  
"I wanted to to do it the Salem Witch Trials," the two said in unison.  
  
"Well, it's settled then."  
  
"Hey Avery," Merton said slowly, "What are you doing tonight?"  
  
Avery shrugged.  
  
"You wanna come over to my house? I'm having a movie marathon with a few friends and I..."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Oh well, I understand. I mean.... Wha?" Merton was almost dumbstruck. "Yes? That's great. Do you want me to pick you up or...?"  
  
"No," Avery said, "I... I can get there myself."  
  
"Seven o'clock alright?"  
  
Avery nodded.  
  
Merton quickly gave Avery directions and the bell rang, signalling the end of class and the end of school for that day. 


	3. Avrey Ulric: Can't Concentrate

6:34pm  
"You WHAT?" Lori asked incrediously.  
  
"I invited Avery," Merton said, cowering away from Lori.  
  
"You IDIOT," Lori said, "You invited a DEMON to watch movies with us?"  
  
"Hey now Lori," Tommy said, coming to Merton's defense, "Can't we all just have a peaceful friendly night?"  
  
Lori fumed but said nothing as a sharp knock sounded at the door.  
  
"That's him!" Merton said in an excited hush, "Okay uhmm... how do I look? How's my hair? How..."  
  
"Chill out," Tommy said, running a hand through his hair, "Go answer the door."  
  
"Yeh! Great idea!" Merton grinned. He quickly checked himself out in the mirror and ran over to open the door.  
  
Lori almost growled, but Tommy laid a hand on her shoulder, "Now now Lori," he said, "Make nice with the other children."  
  
Lori frowned and leaned backwards against Tommy, "Do I have to?"  
7:59pm  
Merton was greatful. Being able to just sit for X number of hours with Avery practically in his lap because Tommy and Lori were taking up so much of the little couch brought Merton beyond words.  
  
"Is there uh... any other place to sit?" Avery asked shifting closer into Merton to avoid Lori and Tommy's display of affection, "That's ...gross..."  
  
"Well," Merton muttered, "The floor or the... uhh, my... bed."  
  
"That sounds good," Avery said quickly. He took Merton by the hand and the two laid down on the bed on their stomachs facing the tv.  
  
Merton desperately tried to concentrate on the plotline but found it increasingly difficult.  
  
"Bed... Avery... On... Me... Ooohhh..." ran through Merton's mind over and over.  
  
Merton felt something lightly skim down the side of his face and his breath quickened and caught in his throat. He was tempted to turn his head, but was afraid of what could happen.  
  
"Merton," a thick voice purred into his ear, "Are you enjoying the movie?"  
  
"Yeh," Merton replied, his voice coming out three octaves higher than his usual. "Why?"  
  
"Tell me what happens," Avery purred, "I can't concentrate..."  
  
Merton quickly turned to face Avery and found himself mere inches from the other boy's face. Without thinking, he leaned in a little closer and their lips met.  
  
The kiss was short, yet when the two pulled away, both looked awestruck.  
  
"...Did you mean that?" Merton asked, "Is this how you want it to be?"  
  
Avery kissed Merton again, forcefully and passionate.  
  
"Yes," Avery nodded.  
  
Merton smiled. Then noticed Tommy. And Lori. Stairing.  
  
"Whaaaaat?" Merton whined. He grinned, stuck his tongue out at them and kissed Avery again.  
  
Tommy and Lori just shrugged and continued in their own lip-locking festivities. 


End file.
